By AbdulFatai Beki
Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has urged stakeholders in the health sector to be more committed to increase awareness on the danger of hypertension to avert sudden deaths among Nigerians.
Dr Kunle Olawepo, the Chairman of NMA, Kwara branch said this in a statement to commemorate the 2017 World Hypertension Day.
Olawepo described hypertension as a major cause of sudden deaths and called for more sensitisation programmes by stakeholders in the sector on the danger of hypertension.
He lamented that sudden deaths due to hypertension had reached an alarming proportion, saying that it needed to be tackled to allow more people contribute to economic growth and development of the nation.
Olawepo advised Nigerians to ensure that they checked their blood pressure by qualified health providers and be careful about their lifestyles because of the consequences to their health.
He said that to maintain a normal blood pressure, people must try to lose weight if overweight and reduce the intake of salt in their diets.
He said that engaging in regular exercises and complying with medications if already on treatment among others were critical to managing the condition.
The World Hypertension Day (WHD) was first inaugurated in May 2005 and has become an annual event which is commemorated every May 17.
The theme for the 2017 World Hypertension Day is: “Know Your Numbers” with a goal of increasing awareness on high blood pressure among people around the world.
